The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has launched an investigation after the crew of a commercial airliner reported spotting a drone flying in restricted airspace near Cleveland early Monday afternoon, according to a local news outlet.
Southwest Airlines Flight 2506 had just departed Cleveland-Hopkins International Airport en route to Phoenix when the crew reported seeing a drone flying at approximately 4,000 feet. The incident occurred around 12:30 p.m., about six miles southwest of the airport, according to the FAA and publicly available flight data.
The sighting raised immediate safety concerns given the drone’s proximity to a busy flight corridor. The FAA emphasized that such activity is not only dangerous but also illegal.
The agency receives over 100 drone sighting reports near airports each month and has warned operators that unauthorized drone flights near aircraft or airports could result in criminal charges, including possible jail time and fines.
Online speculation initially suggested the drone may have been operated by the Lorain County Sheriff’s Office, but that claim was quickly refuted.
“Our drones were never up in the air,” said Maj. A.J. Torres, a spokesman for the office.
He explained that confusion likely stemmed from two unrelated calls occurring at the same time: a missing juvenile case and a separate drone report near the Ohio Turnpike in North Ridgeville. Police responded to the drone call but were unable to locate the device.
North Ridgeville police have not yet released an official report on the incident, though a request for records has been made by The Chronicle-Telegram.
In an effort to mitigate future incidents, the FAA continues testing drone detection and counter-drone systems at U.S. airports. The agency says a final report on those efforts is currently under review.
